Darkest Heart
by AuthorE
Summary: Anya, a fire-wolf hanyou, joins the group, but what will happen when she struggles with the wily youkai inside her, just begging to come out?
1. Prologue

Prologue

A scream rang through the air…

More joined in the chorus, adding to the horrible chaos that ensued…

Flames rose and danced, licking at the sky with their fiery tongues. Sobs and yelling echoed through the smoky air, adding to the cacophony.

The flames rose yet higher, greedily consuming the wooden buildings. Various livestock ran down the dusty road, lowing in pain as they were engulfed in flame. People evacuated the village. One woman in particular though, ran in the opposite direction.

She frantically called a name, "Anya? Anya! Where are you?" She yelled into the burning clutch of houses. Only the crackling of burning wood and other various materials answered her. Wind whipped her hair around her face, tears rolled down her sooty cheeks. She plunged deeper into the burning village. "Anya!" She called.

A plaintiff squeal met the woman's pleas. She looked slightly relieved and ran in the direction of a house…Her house, which was almost half burned to the ground. She pushed her way through a fire eaten door, coming into a room that was filled with little wooden dolls and colorful fabrics, merely food for the fire. A figure sat in the middle of the room, small enough to be a child. Tears spilled off of her face and onto the ground, reflecting firelight. "Mother…Why?" She sobbed into her hands. The woman frowned, not entirely understanding her daughter's question, until the girl looked up.

Ebony black hair, streaked with ivory white and dusty ash hung around her face, partially in an intricate braid. Black wolf-like ears protruded off the top of her head, now laid flat against her hair. But those were her normal features, what startled the woman the most were the child's eyes. They glowed, blood red, with black slits for pupils. Not a speck of white was visible in them.

The woman stifled a scream at the sight of those eyes. The raven-haired child got up and ran to her mother, burying her face in the soot-stained fabric of her dress. "Why mother?" She asked quietly, voice muffled by the dress. "I-I don't…" The mother stuttered, but the little girl interrupted her. "I did this mother, the fires are my fault."She stopped to sniffle. "I fell asleep and a big white wolf came to me in my dreams, and he said he was my father…Then he touched me and I woke up, but I couldn't control myself. I made everything set on fire…" She said, words distorted by her sobs.

The woman tutted like a mother hen, "No Anya. It was all that good for nothing father of yours." She said, kneeling and hugging the child, sympathy heavy in her voice. The girl shook her head, black hair flying all over like the smoke that rose around them. "Let's leave, or we may not be alive to see the sun rise in the morning." The woman said, gently lifting the girl up into her arms.

The child continued to sob into the black veil of her mother's hair as the woman walked out of the burning village. She followed the route they were to take if a fire ever threatened the village, to go to a safe place and rebuild their home. She was sure the villagers would still accept her child, despite what she had done.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter one:** _A Thief's Wit_

Ebony hair flashed in the sunlight. A black blur hopped from a rooftop down to the ground, kicking up dust as it landed. A girl crouched on the ground, snickering as yells echoed between the buildings. She straightened, then hopped to the next roof and froze in a low crouch, peering over the edge of the wooden roof of the building. She straightened to sit cross legged, waiting for the crowd to catch up with her.

The girl, who appeared to be about seventeen, give or take, had long, hair, the color of a raven's feathers, with two white streaks on either side of her face, each adorned with a few colored beads. One would say the length was ridiculous, but when you were constantly on the run, it didn't matter too much. Black wolf ears protruded off her head, twitching as they listened to the conversation of her pursuers. Her golden brown eyes sparkled maliciously in the sunlight as she grinned. The same rays of light bounced off her white fangs, flashing and dancing off her jagged teeth. She wore a simple black outfit with deep purple trim, form-fitting so it showed off her curves. A sword sheathe with its weapon hidden inside hung securely at her side, the purple and black metal glinting in the sun.

The girl stood up as the mob of humans closed in. "There she is!" Came a call from below, a man pointed up at her. "Leave us Anya! You're no longer welcome!" He said to the mischievously smirking girl. "Hanyou don't belong around humans!" Another voice, a woman's said.

Anya turned away, "I think I'll take a little parting gift first, if you don't mind."She said, looking back over her shoulder. The hanyou set off in the direction of the village's Sacred Temple. Its purpose both for worshipping gods, and safeguarding a precious fragment of the Shikon Jewel, broken not too long ago by an unknown force.

Anya hopped easily over the buildings, quickly reaching the Temple. Its black wooden roof reflected small amounts of light.

Anya stood, hands on her hips and foot planted confidently at the crest of the roof she was on. This was too easy. They didn't have very well trained guards, who would be easy to dispose of. She alighted down to the dusty ground below, and then strode casually forward to the door. She had never been allowed inside the Temple, since the people in the village certainly wouldn't allow her to come into their most Sacred building.

Anya had come here appearing to be weak, injured, and starving, acting like a wounded pup, whimpering for sympathy. A kind family had taken her into their home, but they had been the only ones willing to house the half demon. Everyone else claimed it was bad luck, and that Anya couldn't be trusted.

Of course, they were right, but the kind people couldn't help but facilitate her until she recovered. She'd been here for only a week, and then she'd started to steal from people; so they'd tried to run her out of town, and now she was leaving, but not without one last feat of thievery.

Anya sliced at the air in front of the door, "Dark heart's flame scythe!" As soon as she spoke the words, bright, flaming slashes appeared in the air, flying at the door and slicing through it easily. Anya pushed the doors open, and then trotted down the hall. The first barrage of guards came down the hall, stomping loudly. "I never liked loud noises, they bother my ears." She said, then went at the guards.

The hallway ceiling was high enough that she was able to do a running back flip over the mob of armed men. She landed softly in a crouch on the other side, then slashed backwards with her claws. "Dark heart's flame scythe, times ten!" She said. The half demon didn't stay to see their reaction, but she heard their cries of pain and smirked.

The Shikon Jewel fragment wasn't too far away, she could feel it now. The only problem was that a group of monks stood just outside the room the jewel fragment was in. Anya growled angrily, ears lying flat as she came to a door, the one that would open to the monks, who were probably prepared with seals and enchantments to keep her at bay.

Anya walked forward and kicked the door open. The two heavy slabs of wood flew back and created a loud boom as they slammed against the wall behind them. Anya stormed in, golden eyes flashing deviously. The monks within looked surprised, as they had been praying to one of their gods when the half demon entered.

A monk stood, then yelled and pointed at her. He pulled a seal from his pocket, then ran into the room with the sacred jewel and plastered the enchanted piece of paper on the inside of the door. Anya snarled menacingly, bearing her fangs and laying her ears back farther, so they were practically plastered against her skull. The gesture frightened the monks, and one of the older ones actually fainted.

Anya snickered maliciously, then slashed at the air. "Dark heart's flame scythe!" She yelled. The flaming crescents sliced through more than one monk, splattering blood. Anya advanced, but stopped and braced herself as a monk started toward her, wielding a sharp metal rod.

Anya hopped into the air and landed behind the monk, then whipped around and pinched the spot just between his shoulder and neck, then jabbed two fingers just beneath his skull. The monk collapsed, appearing to be paralyzed, but it was temporary. Simple prods and pinches at the right pressure points would render an opponent immobile, or unable to use an extremity.

The half demon sent another round of her flame scythes at the remaining monks, who collapsed. One remained, cowering in a corner. "Roar." Anya said, and the monk fainted. She snickered, then stepped closer to the sealed door. "Burning Tongue." She said quietly. Flame sparked from her mouth and to the ground in front of the door. It set the cloth runner leading into the Shikon Jewel room on fire.

The hanyou could hear plaintiff wails from the monk who'd run inside, and from a few others, as they burned. By now, her fast-spreading fire would have started to consume the whole room. The seal was probably gone now, and Anya put a little bit of pressure on the wood. It gave easily, and Anya stepped inside. The fire would not harm her, so she went in further.

The Shikon Jewel was sitting in the center of the room, propped on a cloth covered podium. Anya smirked, then went faster. She snatched the fragment from its high place, feeling a rush of energy as she made contact. The hanyou pulled a black cloth from her pants pocket, and tucked the light purplish pink fragment within. She tucked the cloth back in her pocket, then looked up.

A skylight hung over her head, letting in some sunlight. She bunched her muscles like a spring, then leaped upwards, higher than any human could go. She crossed her arms over her face as she broke through the delicate glass, which shattered and skittered on the floor below.

Anya alighted on the roof in a crouch, then peered over the village. Villagers had only just started to flood into the Temple. The hanyou smirked, then hopped off the roof. She started toward the forest nearby. Her ear flicked back as a door banged open, and she glanced back to see a young monk there. He had black hair, pulled back in a kinky, little ponytail. He wore purple robes, and held a ringed staff. He was muttering something, and held a few seals in his hand, but Anya was too far away to hear. She looked away, then plunged into the thick tree line, snickering.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:** _The Wolf is Discovered_

It was only due to her enhanced hearing that Anya sensed the first traces of an intruder. Quick steps whispered from the forest around her. Her sharp eyes adjusted quickly to the dim, if non-existent, light, and she looked around. The intruder was close to the little circle of trees she'd come to rest in, she could smell them. Yes, definitely more than one scent advanced toward her.

Anya slid from her prior position of lying down, to that of a low crouch, pulling back into the low boughs of a dark bush. The black of her hair would probably blend well, and as long as the invaders didn't have fire, she'd probably be fine. If they passed by without noticing her, she could easily creep away from the place she was in, so they wouldn't be able to find her on a round trip.

Anya was fully awake now, and on alert. She let out a soft growl as the steps got even closer, but not loud enough to give away her position. She retreated yet farther into a bush, then reached up and gently brushed a spider off her shoulder.

The scent got even stronger, and she could make out the genders of her pursuers. Three males and two females, which was actually quite a small group considering other search parties that had been sent after her before.

The hanyou's eyes widened. The scents Anya now caught were more defined, and she could tell three of them were humans, and one a youkai. The last surprised her though. It was the scent of a hanyou.

The footsteps stopped in front of Anya's clearing, and her ears perked as she heard a soft sniffing sound, close too. She froze, but remained ready to run, muscles tensed to spring away. She heard a female voice say, "There's a Shikon Jewel fragment right there." Then a grunt and muttered reply "Leave it to me. I'll send that demon to its grave." It threatened.

Anya was confused, how had the female been able to see the jewel fragment? Anya scooted her hand down into her pocket, making sure the wrapped fragment was still there. She nodded slightly as she felt the ball of cloth that encased it.

Anya frowned, as the voices had come from the trees directly in front of her. Her golden eyes flashed dangerously as she bore her teeth in pain after stepping on a thorn. A silvery white head of hair had appeared over a tall bush, white, doggish ears flicking a bit. So a dog hanyou, eh? Easy.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three:** _The Art of Survival_

Anya watched, eyebrows knit together, as five people came into the clearing where she'd just been laying. Two were human girls, another was the monk she had seen before, the smallest one was what appeared to be a kitsune child, and the last was what seemed to be a youkai. He was tall, with pure white hair and golden eyes…Just like her own. He had white dog ears too, though hers were wolf ears. He wore a red outfit with billowing sleeves and pant legs. A battered looking sword hung at his side, sheathed. At least her outfit was less…obnoxious. She wore a black jacket with a deep purple shirt underneath, and black pants. The sleeves of her jacket were more open, and so were the legs of her pants, but that was about it for similarities in clothing choice.

Both human girls had black hair, one carried a bow and quiver of arrows, and the other a giant, boomerang-like weapon. Nothing intrigued Anya more though, than the outfit the archer girl wore. It was unlike anything she'd seen before, certainly not anything that had been made before. Anya smirked, what a weak group the village had sent after her. She'd have to go back and say thank you for such easy opponents. The hanyou sniffed, then he and the girl looked in Anya's direction simultaneously. Anya frowned and swore under her breath. The hanyou stepped forward, "If you don't want to be sliced in half, come out, and give us the shard." He called, looking just past where Anya was.

Anya's ears twitched. She picked up a rock, then threw it off away from where she was, causing a bush to rustle. The hanyou glanced off in its direction, the straight at Anya's hiding place, "That wasn't a smart move." He growled. He suddenly darted forward, too fast for Anya to react, and grabbed her by the hair. The fire-wolf hanyou let out a shrieking growl as she was pulled to her feet, hands up by her hair as pain shot through her skull. She had to admit, he was strong. "Give me the shard!" He spat in her face. "Uh, Inuyasha, maybe you should be gentler?" The archer girl behind him said. "Shaddup Kagome! Did you see what she did to that temple? Of course I'm not going to be gentle!" Inuyasha said, glancing back at the girl. Anya smirked, though it was less intimidating because she also appeared to be in pain at the same time. **"So, Inuyasha, picking on girls? Doesn't seem very nice to me."** she commented, then winced as Inuyasha gripped her hair tighter. "Be quiet, welp! Give us the jewel and we'll be gone." He said.

Anya grinned evilly, **"Nope, don't think so."** She said, then swung her leg up and kicked him between the legs. Inuyasha yelped, then released her and dropped to his knees, eyes watering. **"See ya!"** Anya said, after a long line of cursing from the dog hanyou. She hopped off into the trees, heading for the village. These were the good guys, right? So they wouldn't hurt an innocent life. She glanced back, irritated, as she heard footsteps behind her. "I'll get you for that!" Inuyasha's voice rang between the trees. Anya smirked, **"Burning tongue!"** She yelled, then breathed a torrent of fire into the trees. Surely that would stop them.

She was wrong. A figure garbed in flaming red leaped from between the flames, straight at Anya. Inuyasha tackled her, sending them both to the ground, growling. Anya got her feet underneath the dog hanyou before they hit the hard earth, then sent him flying with a powerful kick. She did a summersault, then got up and kept running. The village had already started coming into view. Anya leaped up into a tree, then out and over the last line of the tall plants. She raised two fingers to her lips, then swiped her claws through the air, **"Darkest hearts flaming fury!"** She cried, sending huge, deep purple blades of light straight at the village. Something flashed below, and Anya landed in a crouch to see Inyuasha holding a huge sword, deflecting her attack. She smirked, then started into the village, setting houses on fire as she went.

Screams echoed up from the wooden homes. Anya smirked. This brought back memories, not necessarily good ones, but memories all the same. She relished the cries of pain now, and now, they were caused by her, and not her father, all those years ago. Anya let out a pleased howl, then rushed into a house where she heard a small child whimpering. The whites of the young boy's eyes reflected the fire as he stared up, frozen in terror, at his village's tormentor. Anya stepped forward, then picked the boy up and cradled him in her arms. She then leapt up and burst out of the roof, landing on top of the now burning pyre. Inuyasha was looking around the buildings, standing on a different house, searching for the fire-wolf hanyou. **"Hey! Snowflake! Over here!"** Anya called, waving the arm that wasn't holding the boy.

The child whimpered in Anya's arms as she turned and ran from the furious dog hanyou. She scented the others in his group, and they were close. Anya headed for the temple, taking a huge leap and breaking through the roof, into the room where she'd taken down the monks earlier. She held the child tighter, truly not intending to hurt him, but letting him think she would. Her hostage would be much more convincing with a look of terror on his face. Anya glanced up as the dog demon burst through the roof after her. The humans and kitsune child weren't far behind, coming through the temple doors. The little boy turned his head to stare at them, giving a pleading look. "Let him go! Please!" The black haired girl whom Inuyasha had called Kagome said. Anya only smirked, showing off her fangs. **"Leave me alone and I might…Or perhaps I'll take him home, he's pretty cute, and I think he'd make a good meal." **She said casually, glancing down at the boy who now trembled. Kagome's eyes widened. Did this youkai really intend to eat the little boy? No, she could see it in her eyes.

Inuyasha growled, "Fine, if you won't give up the shard, I'll have to take it by force." He said, drawing his sword. "Tessaiga!" He said as the battered katana transformed. Anya smirked, "**Gonna have to let go of you, kid, get over to the girls."** She told the little boy, crouching and letting him go. He ran over to Kagome, wrapping himself around the girl's leg. Anya drew her own sword, a long, dark blade with a deep purple hilt that had a black ribbon tied around it. **"Yoru no Kasai!"** She said, and the blade flashed, but it didn't grow larger. The sword was meant to be extremely durable, and channel its owner's energy for harder blows. Inuyasha let out a battle cry and ran at her, wielding his sword with ease.

Anya held her sword in front of herself in a defensive gesture, the long blade crossing over her body. It met the Tessaiga with a loud clang, and sparks flew as the two hanyou struggled against their opponent's power. It was hardly a deadlock though, and it became certain as Anya pushed Inuyasha back, snarling. She slashed her sword, sending him back even more, and didn't waste time as she hopped nimbly forward and slashed at him. Their swords met again, and already the dog hanyou was panting. Anya smirked. If she kept working him like this, she'd definitely win. Lost in her own thoughts, Anya didn't detect the surge of energy from the dog demon's blade until it hit her, sending her flying backwards and into fire-scorched room that had contained the jewel fragment. She hit the wall and appeared to be dazed, her sword flying off and imbedding itself in the floor. Anya lay still as Inuyasha walked forward to make the final blow. He slashed his sword, but it only sliced thin air as Anya rolled away. She got to her feet and lunged towards her Yoru no Kasai. It flashed as her hand gripped the hilt, and she drew it from the floor. Inuyasha turned and ran at her, then slashed his sword before she was ready. Even so, Anya hopped back, but the blade created a shallow cut on her stomach. Anya winced and pressed her hand to the wound as it immediately started to bleed. She slashed her sword at Inuyasha, who earned a cut on the arm. He dipped his other hand into the wound, then flung the droplets of blood from his fingers. "Bloody blades!" He cried. The droplets turned into slicing red blades of light, flying past Anya. She dodged all but one, which caused a deep gouge on her cheek, and sliced off the tiniest bit of hair.

The fire-wolf hanyou suddenly sheathed her sword, then leaped out of the room and towards the others. She headed straight for Kagome, then dashed around her and pulled a dagger out, seemingly from thin air, and held it against the girl's throat. **"If you don't mind, I think I'll take the girl instead of the kid."** She said, smirking as Inuyasha's eyes flashed with fury. **"Don't follow me if you know what's good for you."** She snarled, then picked the girl up. She was actually fairly light. Anya leaped up and burst through the roof, then headed away into the forest. Kagome didn't struggle, she knew Inuyasha would come after her, and he'd make sure she didn't get hurt.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four:** _Words Shared Make for Closer Hearts_

Inuyasha had insisted they set out for Kagome immediately, but Shippo and Miroku had refused. Both of them wanted to wait until they village fires had been entirely quenched. They'd all helped, dumping water on the burning wood to smother the flames. About a fourth of the houses had been destroyed, which wasn't too bad since it was a larger village, almost big enough to call a town, but not quite. The head man had allowed them to stay the night, although he wasn't too keen on letting the hanyou into his home.

So now they sat, clearly NOT helping Kagome, but still fed and warm. All Inuyasha could do was sit in the doorway miserably, trapped with only his thoughts to entertain him. But even his own mind was irritating him. It kept drifting to thoughts of the fire-wolf hanyou. She was so similar in features to him it was scary. The thought that they might even be related wandered through the thread of thoughts. He quickly dismissed it. He would have known if they were related, right?

Anya yawned and stretched, blinking the dim rays of light out of her eyes as they adjusted to the gloom. She sat up slowly, carefully registering her surroundings with all of her senses. The human, Kagome, still lay by the smoldering fire, sleeping. By now, the dog hanyou would have set out to follow her, to rescue this girl he seemed so attached to. No doubt he'd be here soon.

Anya frowned. Last night, after they'd settled in a cave in the forest, she and the girl had exchanged a few thoughts and stories, and now the hanyou felt as though she'd kidnapped a friend, or at least acquaintance. But she couldn't let those thoughts corrupt the icy barrier she'd built up, even though it seemed the girl had melted a small hole in it, just enough to push her hand through and get to the fire-wolf hanyou.

Anya let out a long sigh, then started braiding her silvery white and black hair. When she finished, she tied it off with the black ribbon that had been wrapped around the hilt of her Yoru no Kasai. The hanyou's stomach growled ferociously. That was to be expected, as she hadn't eaten in a few days.

Anya sniffed to see if she could catch a whiff of any food close by, and was surprised to find a scent just in front of her, on Kagome. Anya slipped around the fire, sniffing all the while. She lowered her head to scent the girl…

Anya must have gotten to close, because one of Kagome's hands flew up and slugged Anya in the jaw. The girl didn't get up, but instead spoke. "Inuyasha! I told you not to wake me up when it's still dark, with the exception of emergency!" The girl growled icily.

Anya frowned. There was no Inuyasha here, just a fire-wolf hanyou in pain.

Kagome opened one eye to see Anya sitting in front of her, rubbing her lower jaw with one eye squeezed shut and an irritated look on her face. "Woops, sorry 'bout that. Forgot where I was for a second." The girl said sheepishly.

Anya blew it off, but pointed to a pocket in the human's skirt. **"Do you have food?"** She asked bluntly, not that she couldn't find her own, it was just much easier to be given food, rather than have to kill and cook it yourself.

Kagome nodded and pulled two granola bars, covered in colorful wrappers, from her pocket. Anya looked at them curiously for a second, then held out a hand, in which Kagome dropped one of the foreign foods into the hanyou's hand, who greedily unwrapped it, tossing the unwanted wrapper into the fire, as seemed fit.

It hadn't been much of a meal, but food was food. Anya stood and dusted off her black ensemble, then headed out of the cave, disappearing into the forest. She leaped up into a tree, then tipped her head back and let out a long, mournful howl…

After about a minute, another howl answered, farther off, but still audible to her sensitive ears. Anya hopped nimbly out of the tree, then walked back to the cave. Kagome looked a little curious, "Was that you just now?" She asked. Anya nodded, **"Yes, your friends are on their way, very close now."** She said, stoking the fire before her with a stick. The enemy was almost upon her.

Inuyasha leaped from tree to tree, the monk and kitsune child close behind. That stinking wolf dare take Kagome? She would pay, especially after what she'd done to the village. The dog hanyou noticed that the other hanyou had left a clear scent trail, as if on purpose. He smirked. Either way, it just made it easier and faster, whether or not this was a trap. He knew he had to be careful, especially after what Miroku had told him.

"Inuyasha. This hanyou is like any other youkai, human or hanyou we've met before. Her aura is powerful, possibly even more so than yours. We must be cautious, or else be ensnared by her claws." Miroku had warned. "Keh, as if I'd let her get the best of me." Inuyasha had smirked and cracked his claws. As if…

Inuyasha's eyes burned as he saw the clearing ahead, a small plume of smoke trickling from the mouth of a cave. Whatever happened here, he'd make sure Kagome was safe.

Anya sat cross-legged at the mouth of the cave, two short daggers sitting flat-bladed on her legs. Already she could hear the soft thumps as the dog hanyou alighted on the branches of trees, and the slightly louder, running footsteps of the monk and kit. He was close, rustling branches as he made his way toward her, his scent already coming to meet Anya.

The fire-wolf hanyou glanced back at Kagome, who was sitting rather patiently next to the fire. Anya had tied her hands behind her back so she couldn't get up as easily when the dog hanyou came into view. The girl was perfect dog-bait.

A silvery-white flash of hair and a muted thud cut through the silence like a knife. He was here. Inuyasha stepped out of the tree-line and into the edge of the clearing, about fifty feet away from the cave. **"Welcome."** Anya said icily, offering a fanged smirk. Inuyasha looked irritated. Why was this wolf hanyou so much like him, both in features and in actions?

Anya sighed and stood, then side-stepped, allowing Inuyasha to see Kagome. He frowned, noticing her hands were tied, but that didn't matter, ropes wouldn't be a problem. The dog hanyou glanced back as Miroku and Shippo stumbled out of the trees, the monk out of breath and the kitsune child's eyes burning, ready for a fight. Inuyasha rolled his eyes, then reached down and unsheathed the Tessaiga.

Anya marveled at the sword, feeling its powerful aura. Was this dog really worthy to handle such power? She would find out. The fire-wolf hanyou reached down to her left side and drew her Yoru no Kasai. The dark blade reflected the sunlight, sending rays everywhere.

Inuyasha started forward, a determined look on his face. Anya let out a short laugh, then hopped into the air, flipping backwards and landing in a crouch on top of the cave. She tipped her head back and howled. Inuyasha glanced back as more howls filled the air, very close by. White wolves appeared from between the trees, surrounding Miroku and Sango. One trotted past Inuyasha to lay down by Kagome. **"Now you can't cheat. It's just us, mono-e-mono."** Anya said, then she spat at the ground. **"Let's get this over with."** She snorted.

The dog was quick, almost as fast as Anya, but she wasn't as bulky muscle-wise as him, so she was also lighter. Inuyasha dodged to one side as Anya hopped down to land lightly where he'd just been, imbedding the tip of her sword in the ground. She quickly yanked it out and spun around to face him with dizzying speed. Inuyasha swung his sword, and Anya attempted to hop over it, but the tip of the Tessaiga just nicked the skin on her shin. She landed and winced, as the cut had gone deeper than she'd anticipated.

Anya looked up at the dog hanyou, who had rested the sword on his shoulders with a challenging smirk. The fire-wolf hanyou carefully slipped a dagger into her hand from the hidden compartment in her sleeve, then she slipped back. The dog hanyou looked confused for a second. Was she retreating? He pondered for a second too long, barely dodging a dagger that flew past his head, slicing his cheek open and cutting off a tiny bit of hair.

Anya smirked, **"There, now we match."** She said, tapping the scar on her own cheek that he'd given her yesterday. The dog hanyou smirked, this was merely a game to her, one she wanted to finish quickly, with her as the victor.

Anya's wolfy ears flicked back as one of the wolves barked a warning. She ducked, and a staff with jangling rings on it just missed her head, smacking into the cave wall. "Idiot! This is my fight, Miroku!" Inuyasha snapped at the monk.

Anya smiled slyly, taking the opportunity while the hanyou was distracted. She darted forward and plunged her dagger into his side. He gasped and fell on one knee, using the Tessaiga to support himself. "Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled frantically from the cave. She tried to get up, but the wolf next to her stood, bristling, and growled.

Anya smiled and licked a few drops of the dog hanyou's blood from her fingers, **"Hmph, poisonded weapons, very effective, especially with your own brew of venom. And I thank you, monk, for the distraction."** She said, calling over to Miroku as she mentioned him. **"I hoped you enjoy seeing your loved ones die, dog. I'll kill them all first, the girl I will kill slowly, so you can suffer."** Anya hissed in the dog hanyou's ear, making it flick in her direction. He growled weakly at Anya, twitching his hand and wrinkling his nose in a snarl.

Anya grinned, showing off her white fangs, **"Oh, it won't kill you, I'll leave that up to my sword. Would you like me to slice off all your limbs, then pierce you through the heart, or slice off your head for a fast death?"** She chuckled darkly, **"Or maybe I'll kill your two friends, then take the girl and sell her, and this time I won't be so easily found."** She hissed, stalking around him like a cat with her prey.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried again, she started to drag herself over to him. The wolf next to her growled, but Anya held up a hand, silencing it. The girl reached up and brushed hair from his face. "Ka…gome." Inuyasha grunted, the reached slowly around and pulled the dagger from his side. He grit his teeth and winced as he did so, then pressed a hand to the open wound. "Inuyasha…" Kagome said quietly, then looked up at Anya, eyes burning. "What did you do to him?" She demanded.

Anya only smirked in response, then turned and started toward Miroku and Shippo. She yelped and lost her balance, dropping to her knees as a spasm of pain washed over her. The hanyou looked down to the a dagger, the same one that she'd used on Inuyasha, sticking out of her side. It lacked its poison, but the cold steel of the blade was imbedded in her side. She yanked it out angrily and glared icily back at Inuyasha, who wore a pleased smirk on his face. "Now…we match." He grunted, then fell forward as he slipped into unconsciousness.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome said frantically, "Please, give me the antidote!" She pleaded, looking up at Anya, who snorted. **"Fine, but you have to give me something in return."** She said, standing over the girl and hanyou. "What do you want?" Kagome asked, confidence in her voice. **"I want to join your group."**


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4:** _Common traits, common thoughts_

Anya sat in front of the cave, leaning against the cold, stony wall. Strips of cloth had been wrapped around her side to stifle the bleeding. Kagome had also sprayed a strange smelling substance on the wound, but it stung badly. She'd done the same for Inuyasha, who had winced but not woken up. He was now leaned up against the cave next to Anya.

The unconscious dog hanyou suddenly slouched to the side, leaning on Anya's shoulder. She flinched and looked down at him. Darn, why'd he have to be so cute when he was sleeping? She couldn't bring herself to smack him upside the head, so she growled.

As much as she hated him, he needed rest, or the poison from her daggers wouldn't make its way out of his system. She did have an antidote, but she'd refused to use it because she didn't want them all to know the 'recipe' for the poison's thirst.

Inuyasha stirred and rubbed his eyes. He yawned and sat up, then looked over to see Anya watching him. He bristled and scooted away, wincing as he did so. Anya smirked and crossed her arms over her chest, tilting her head back to look at the sky.

The dog hanyou glanced over at her, then stuck his nose in the air. Anya snickered, "What?" Inuyasha demaned. Anya smirked and looked over at him, **"You're so headstrong, so immature."** She said. **"I may not be far off, but I'm still older than you." **She said. Inuyasha snorted, "How do you know my age?" He questioned. **"Kagome and I spoke last night. She spoke of you often. Tell me, was your mother's name Izayoi?" **She asked, looking at him seriously. Inuyasha nodded, "Why?" He asked. Anya sighed, **"My mother left me when I was ten years old, and now I think I know why. You are around ten years younger than me, Inuyasha."** Anya said. Inuyasha looked confused, "So what? It's probably just a coincidence." He said.

Anya shook her head, causing her braided hair to swing back and forth, **"No, it's not. My mother was Inzayoi."** She said.

Inuyasha sprung to his feet, "What? Are you trying to tell me that my mother was with some wolf youkai before she met my father?" He asked incredulously. Anya nodded**, "That I did."** She said. Inuyasha looked stunned. It WOULD explain their similarities though.

Inuyasha snorted and sat back down. "So, what? Then that makes you my half-sister, right?" He asked, looking down at his lap. Anya nodded again, **"Sorry about earlier…Didn't know you were my kid brother…Though I guess you could label it as sibling rivalry." **She said, smirking. "Keh!" Inuyasha scoffed. "As long as you aren't like Sesshomaru, I guess I could get used to you." He said.

Anya glanced over at him at the mention of the youkai's name, **"Sesshomaru?"** She asked. "Just a road block. He's my half-brother. We had the same father." Inuyasha answered. Anya nodded slowly, **"Any other 'road blocks' I should know about?"** She asked.

Inuyasha frowned, then looked up at her, "Naraku." He said shortly.

Anya's eyes widened and she looked down, gritting her teeth. Inuyasha tried to decipher her expression. "What?" He asked. Anya growled, clenching her fist, **"Naraku? Hah, he killed my father." **She said.

Kagome sat in the cave with Miroku, Shippo, and Sango. They were currently waiting for Anya and Inuyasha to come back in. Kagome tried her best to keep the small fire going, but only smoldered pitifully. It occurred to the girl that maybe only a youkai or hanyou could feed the fire, seeing as a hanyou had created it. "Hey Shippo." Kagome called to the kitsune child. Shippo looked up questioningly. "Do you think you could use your fox fire to get this fire going?" She asked. Shippo nodded, "Of course I can!" He said enthusiastically, then he stood and took a stance as he readied his flames.

A moment before Shippo was about to try to revive the fire, Anya and Inuyasha ducked into the cave. Both of them looked kind of ticked off. A tiny flea youkai on Inuyasha's shoulder hopped down and to Kagome. "What's up with them, Myoga?" She asked as the two sat down, looking away from each other. Myoga sighed, "They were arguing about who would kill Naraku." He said. Anya's ear flicked as she listened to them. **"I'm going to do it for my father! He just wants to do it for some girl!"** She burst out. Inuyasha slowly turned his head to look at Anya murderously. "Um, that's kind of a touchy subject, Anya." Kagome said.

Anya glanced over at Inuyasha, then back to Kagome, smirking, "**It's just a girl."** She said snidely.

Inuyasha growled, then turned and jumped at Anya, trying to tackle her. Anya quickly slid out of the way, and the dog hanyou's face connected with a stalagmite. Anya laughed shortly, **"You're no match for me, little brother."** She said. Old Myoga hopped over to Inuyasha. "Master Inuyasha! Are you alright?" He said in the hanyou's ear. Inuyasha raised a hand and brought it down on the youkai, then flicked him out of the cave. He then got up and glared icily at Anya, and walked haughtily over to sit by Miroku.

Anya sighed, then stood and walked to the mouth of the cave, where she dropped down to sit cross-legged, facing the forest. The flea they called Myoga hopped over to perch on her knee. "Don't get angry at Master Inuyasha, he's just hot tempered." He said. Anya snorted, sending two jets of flame out of her nostrils.

"**He doesn't understand loss. I lost my mate and child in the same month, he lost his girlfriend."** Anya said, a hint of a snarl in her voice. The hanyou glanced back at Inuyasha, **"And he's not just hot-headed…He's in love."** She said. The girl appeared to be lecturing him about hurting people's feelings, **"Even if we'd known each other all our lives, I don't think Inuyahsa would let me scold him like that, yet he allows the human girl to do it." **Anya said. **"I don't care what he says about that Kikyo girl, he's found another to love." **She said, then sighed.

Myoga did the same, "Yes, but he is still looking to avenge Kikyo, and I don't know if he'll truly move on until he does..Are you searching for the Shikon jewel fragments to become a full-fledged demon too?" He asked. Anya looked down at him, **"Of course, but so is dog-boy. I have a fragment, and I'll only give it to him if he gets all the jewel fragments first." **Anya said. **"He would be a powerful demon…"** She trailed off, then got up. Myoga clung to the leg of her pants, then crawled up to her shoulder. Anya sat down across from Miroku, then raised her hands to her mouth. **"Burning Tongue."** She said, and a ball of flame appeared in her hands. She dropped it into the fire, then poked the flames with a stick.

Anya glanced over to see the monk looking at her, **"What?"** She asked, snapping him out of his daze. "You're…very beautiful. Would you do me the honor of bearing my child?" He asked her in all seriousness. Anya looked at him in surprise, Inuyasha snorted, holding back a laugh, Kagome's jaw dropped, and Sango looked rather irritated. Shippo had fallen asleep. Anya snorted, smirked, then laughed. "What?" Miroku asked. He'd never had a woman react like this before.

Anya stopped laughing, then looked over at Miroku, **"First of all, I've heard that about a hundred times before. Second, I'm so much like dog-boy over there that it's like asking him to sleep with you." **She replied. Obviously the dog hanyou had realized it too, because he shot Miroku an angry glare. "Is there something you're not telling me, monk?" He growled. "N-no! Of course not!" Miroku stuttered, then sat, embarrassed, for the rest of the night.

"**So, who's the flea?"** Anya asked, changing the subject. Myoga himself answered, "I am Master Inuyasha's vassal. I gather information for him." He said, bowing as if he was that important to the dog hanyou. Inuyasha snorted, "Yeah, but you run away at the first whiff of danger." He said accusingly. Myoga seemed taken aback, but didn't say anything in defense of himself.

"**Oh, you don't appreciate him enough." **Anya snapped. "Oh, Miss Anya!" Myoga said. Inuyasha scoffed, putting his face close to the flea's. "There's nothing TO appreciate!" He said. Anya reached over and pinched the dog hanyou's pressure point in his arm, causing the arm he was leaning on to give out. He fell over, then growled and pulled himself away from her. "Thanks a lot, now I can't use my arm!" He snarled. **"You asked for it, dog-boy!"** Anya replied angrily. The two broke into an argument once again, and Myoga sighed.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: **_Wicked Wolves _

A dusty path lead the way to the little village. Anya felt nostalgic. This little village that was far ahead, but that her and Inuyasha's sharp eyes could see, was very similar to the one she'd lived in as a child. She glanced back at the small group of vagabonds that accompanied her. There was the miko, Kagome, the monk, Miroku, who Anya wasn't exactly fond of. On Kagome's shoulder sat Shippo, the kitsune child who Anya spoiled. Sango, the demon slayer, walked next to Kagome with the fire-cat youkai, Kirara, on her shoulder. In front of Anya walked her half-brother, Inuyasha, who had to lead the group because of some 'male-dominance' thing.

At least everyone liked her. The only time anyone liked her was when she was actually trying to get sympathy. But now she had friends who liked her for who she was, no matter what. She felt that she finally fit in. Living her whole life as a detested creature by both humans and demons hadn't exactly helped the hanyou.

Inuyasha glanced back at the others, "Hey! Speed up, ya' slowpokes!" He called. Anya rolled her eyes, then stopped and adopted a taunting grin, with a pose to match, hand on her hip, eyebrow raised. It irritated the dog hanyou so much his eyebrow was visibly twitching. She leaned forward, then pushed off the ground at a breakneck pace, just enough to catch up with Inuyasha. Then she sped past him, and he smirked, accepting her challenge and racing after.

Both were far ahead of the others now, but Anya skid to a stop just in front of the village gate, dubbed the finish line. **"Inuyasha, do you smell it too?"** She asked, noticing he'd also stopped, just behind her. He nodded. The scent of blood and death seeped ominously from inside the village.

The two waited, catching their breath, as the rest of the group caught up with them. Anya switched from her usual braid to let her hair down, unraveling the ribbon tied at the end. Her hair was wavy now after being in a braid for so long. It was even longer than Inuyasha's hair.

Anya frowned. Intermingled with the death and blood was the scent of wolves. She knew wolves well enough. They wouldn't attack without being provoked, and even if they were desperate, they wouldn't attack a whole village. It amazed her that they'd killed everyone too.

The group made its way carefully into the village, all the while; Anya and Inuyasha were sniffing to make sure the coast was clear. It worried her that the wolf-scent was so fresh. As they got deeper into the village, bodies were visible, peppering the ground. Each body had a bite, or an assortment of bites, that Anya recognized as the teeth marks of a wolf. Paw prints decorated the ground, Anya froze and stared at them as Inuyasha kneeled down. "A wolf pack?" Inuyasha said curiously, "Must've attacked everyone here." He muttered, looking around at the evidence.

Suddenly, both hanyou's ears pricked as low growling emanated from in between two houses. Anya's hand slipped to the hilt of her sword, ready to draw it if needed. She barely had time to react as the murderous animals launched from their hiding places. Anya stumbled and fell back as the full weight of a wolf landed on her, accompanied by the snarling animal. There was no sign of froth on its mouth, so they couldn't have disease. The wolf was dead a moment after it landed on her, skewered through the heart by her sword. She pushed the animal off and rolled to settle in a low crouch. She slashed her claws and even got her teeth on the wolves if they got near her.

It pained Anya's heart to kill so many of these wolves, but it had to be done. She launched one at a building with her legs, then sprang to her feet in one fluid motion. The fire-wolf hanyou glanced over at Inuyasha, who had taken down almost all the remaining wolves with a few swipes from his claws. The few survivors trotted up to a small hill and tipped their heads back, howling. Anya looked angry, understanding the meaning of the howl. Another, shorter howl met her ears, echoing through the tree-laden hills. Anya's nose wrinkled in a snarl, **"Cowards!"** She yelled at the wolves.

Before the others could ask what she meant, something that appeared to be a ribbony tornado appeared from between the houses, then stopped, and from it leaped a rather feral looking man. He wore only a fur skirt and light armor on his chest. Furry legwarmers covered his shins and ankles, and a fluffy, brown tail hung from his backside.

Anya slid her sword into its sheath, glaring icily at the wolf youkai, as his scent told her. "Hey you! What's the idea, killing all these people?" He snarled angrily. The wild-man glanced at Inuyasha, "What's it to you, dog?" He asked. The dog hanyou looked irritated by the comment, "Are you calling me a mutt?" He yelled. Anya remained frozen in place.

The two went at each other due to Inuyasha being provoked by the wolf youkai's response of, "Yeah I am! Your stench is terrible! It makes me sick to my stomach!"

Kagome stepped forward, "Inuyasha! He's got sacred jewel fragments in his right arm and both legs!" She called. "And you're telling me this now?" The dog hanyou snarled angrily. The wolf demon was fast, too fast for Inuyasha. Anya was faster than her brother though, she could more easily catch up with the wolf youkai. He was heading in her direction now too, keeping away from Inuyasha. Anya raced forward to meet him, snarling with her fangs showing.

The wolf youkai only scoffed, "Hah! Now you send women at me? Pitiful!" He said. This made Anya even more angry, and all her rage supplied the one move, **"Burning tongue!"** She cried, then exhaled a torrent of flame, causing him to skid to a stop. "Dirty hanyou, you are a disgrace to your kind!" He spat. Anya started forward to lay a beat down on him, but she felt dizzy. This never happened when she used her fire power…Not unless she was injured and had lost a lot of blood. Her hand moved up to her head, then her eyes rolled back and she fell…

"Anya!" Kagome cried, not noticing the wolf youkai as he ran with his remaining wolves. Unconsciousness had engulfed the fire-wolf youkai, a stifling darkness, but it was peaceful. Sounds from the outside world still seeped into her mind though. She heard the miko call her name, then she'd felt someone pick her up. "Her wound must have reopened…And she's pretty bitten up. She must be exhausted." She heard Sango's voice say.

And then there was silence…

Anya lay on a bed mat, covered by her black jacket. She'd been taken care of, disinfected with Kagome's weird smelling stuff, then bandaged up. Inuyasha had taken watch on the roof of the building Anya was in, and she'd woken up only moments ago.

The fire-wolf hanyou sat up quickly, winced, then settled back down. The purple shirt she wore underneath her jacket was stained with blood, although it was dry. She tried to get up quickly, a little to fast. She winced, then settled back down. Her wolfy ears pricked as something stirred on the roof, then thumped to the ground heavily.

Inuyasha came in, holding Anya's sheathed sword. He sat down at her side and placed the sword next to her. **"Thanks"** She murmured, touching the sword. Inuyasha's ear flicked in response, a "Your Welcome." In his wordless language. Anya sighed, then rolled so she was facing away from him, despite the fact that she was on her injured side.

"**Stupid feral"** She muttered. **"I officially HATE any wolf demon who's not associated with an element." **She growled, causing Inuyasha to snicker a little bit. **"Although…"** She said, rolling back over to face him, **"You do kinda smell bad."** She said, meaning it as a joke, but the dog hanyou took it personally. "Not you too! Do I really smell THAT bad?" He asked, sniffing his hair. "I think I smell fine." He growled dejectedly.

Anya chuckled a little bit. Her silvery white and black hair was splayed out on the bed mat as she looked up at him. She picked up her sword and unsheathed it, revealing the dark steel of the blade. **"It's not really a fancy magic sword like yours, but it does the job."** She said, then re-sheathed the sword. She sat up carefully, then pulled her hair back and tied it off with the black ribbon that she'd tied on her wrist earlier. Inuyasha watched the whole time.

"**Let's go."** She said, sliding her jacket back on. **"We've gotta get those jewel fragments, right?"** She asked, standing. Both of them headed out of the building where they'd all slept the night. It was later in the morning now, so everyone was up and about. Kagome sat, stoking a fire, and looked up as they came out.

Anya walked forward, towards Kagome's yellow backpack, then dug through it, following her nose. She pulled out a roll of bandages, then wrapped them around both hands. She flexed her claws to make sure it was comfortable. It would be a good idea to protect her hands, since they'd be entering rocky terrain soon. **"All right, ready to go."** She said. Looking at Kagome, who had just finished packing all their things.

Kagome and Sango had loaded Kirara up with a few particularly heavy things, and Kagome and Shippo rode on the miko's bicycle. Inuyasha and Anya ran ahead, along a rocky mountain path, sniffing out the way. They followed the wolf youkai's scent, not that it was hard. Anya had called three of her white wolves to accompany them, just in case.

Anya stopped to more carefully scent the air, preferring not to get on her hands and knees like Inuyasha did. She heard Kagome and Shippo commenting on his manner of scenting. He stood, "Are you calling me a mutt too?" He yelled angrily. The two didn't answer. "Hey Inuyasha! Anya! Do you sense anything with your nose and ears?" Miroku called. Inuyasha stomped forward angrily, muttering about being called a mutt. Anya reached out a hand as he passed and grabbed him by the ear. "Ow ow ow!" Inuyasha hissed. **"Shut UP already! Will ya?" **She snarled, then let go.

"**Yeah, there's another demon scent here! Be careful!"** She called up to Miroku. Almost immediately after she'd spoken, a loud rumbling sound came from the mountainside above them. Anya looked up to see a wolf pack sliding down the rocky slope. She growled, ears laying flat, and the small company of wolves with her did the same. It would have been comical in different circumstances. One of the mountain wolves launched itself off the rocky side and straight for her throat.

Now Anya was on the defensive. As the wolf landed on her, she let her legs give out, then dropped and rolled with the furry animal, tossing him over the edge of the cliff, then ended her roll in a perfectly balanced crouch. These wolves didn't fight often. She could tell they were used to getting their way without any hesitation, with weaker opponents.

The fire-wolf hanyou glanced back as three mountain wolves attacked Inuyasha, clamping down on his arm and legs and pulling him over the cliff side. She snorted but didn't go after him. He could take care of himself, and she had her own problems.

Anya whipped around as she heard Kagome scream. The wolf youkai from earlier had slung the helpless miko over his shoulder and run. Anya growled and was about to go after him, when two wolves grabbed her arm and leg, sending her over the edge too. She caught the cliff's edge with her free arm and hung on tight, grateful that she'd thought to put the bandages on her hands.

Anya proceeded to shake the two wolves off, causing them to fall into the water below. She pulled herself up, wincing, and got back onto the mountain path. Her leg was fine, barely and teeth marks visible, but her arm was a bit worse for wear, bleeding heavily. She examined it, looking at the tooth marks that streaked down the flesh. She swore under her breath, it was her sword arm too.

"**We've gotta go get Inuyasha."** Anya called to Miroku and Sango. **"He fell over the cliff."** She added. "Shippo is gone!" Sango yelled. **"He probably tagged along with the wolf and Kagome."** She said as they walked closer. Miroku and Sango mounted Kirara, who then leaped into the ravine, flying down. Anya hopped from ledge to ledge, glad that she hadn't injured her legs badly. She landed on the bottom, then walked the length of the river.

Anya spotted something latched on to a rock. **"There!" **She called, pointing. Kirara landed and Miroku got off. He walked to the edge, then held out his staff. "Inuyasha!" He called. The cold and soggy dog hanyou grabbed it and Miroku pulled him to dry ground. Anya washed the blood off herself, then straightened, **"Let's go get Kagome."** She said.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven: **_Angry Birds_

Five figures walked carefully along the mountain path. Anya and Inuyasha being the first two, Miroku and Sango behind them, and Kirara in her youkai form, just in case. Anya frowned and stopped when they came up to a split in the path. She couldn't tell which direction the wolf youkai had gone, because the scent of his pack was too overwhelming.

"This pack scent is overwhelming. We can't sniff out Kagome." Inuyasha said, walking up beside Anya, who nodded. Miroku looked over at Sango, "Even we are bogged down by the wolf smell." He said, wrinkling his nose. Anya glanced back at him, eyes narrowed in an irritated expression, tapping a foot on the ground. Miroku noticed his mistake, "Not that it's a BAD smell, just very strong." He corrected defensively.

"That's what I thought." Anya growled, then her head snapped up as a large shadow passed over her. A huge, round bird creature with the head and torso of a human sticking out of the top swooped down on her, forcing her to duck down. She straightened, growling, as she watched more of the creatures swooping down on the others.

"They call themselves Birds of Paradise." Anya heard Miroku tell Sango. "I'm starting to think that maybe they're not fighting against the wolf youkai." He said. "Are you suggesting that they're allied?" Anya asked. Miroku nodded in response.

"Hey Inuyasha! Let yourself get captured! If my theory is correct, the Birds of Paradise will bring you to the Wolf Youkai pack!" He called to the dog hanyou. Inuyasha nodded, then stood up on a higher slab of stone. Immediately, one of the bird youkai swooped down and grabbed him by the arms. The youkai flew away, and Inuyasha didn't struggle,"Hey! Why didn't you let yourself get captured!" He yelled angrily to Miroku.

Anya smirked. Miroku and Sango got on Kirara, and she went after them, hopping down the rocks.

Soon they came to a huge mountain of both human and wolf bones. Inuyasha yelled something at the bird youkai carrying him, then kicked it. He was dropped into the pile. He started throwing wolf bones at Miroku, shouting at him.

Anya rolled her eyes and waded through the bones. She grabbed Inuyasha's hand and pulled him up and out. "Idiot." She said. He snorted, then followed Kirara, Anya close behind. They started to notice Birds of Paradise circling the peak of the mountains. As they got closer, the sounds of battle reached their ears, or, at least the hanyous' and youkai's ears. Anya hurried forward, then slid down the curved mountainside and into the fight.

The wolf youkai were fighting the Birds of Paradise, so it looked like Miroku's theory was incorrect. Anya shielded her eyes as an arrow surrounded in a rosy pink aura flew at a Bird, slicing of its wing. She drew her sword as a bird flew at her, then leapt into the air and sliced it in half.

Anya glanced up as Inuyasha ran past then hopped into the air, taking down three Birds with one swing. Another slash from Anya's sword ensured at least five more wouldn't be able to fly. She sheathed the weapon, then ran over to where Kagome was, "You okay?" She asked the girl, who was currently standing against Kirara. Kagome nodded, then looked up at the sound of a very familiar voice. "Ah, so the 'Great Inuyasha' has come for Kagome? Well you can't have her, dog! She's my woman now!" Said Koga, standing atop a high ledge. "What are you talking about?" Inuyasha called back anrily, "She's not your 'woman', stupid!" He yelled. Anya sighed, patting Kirara's shoulder in exasperation. Honestly…Some men. She stepped away from the fire-cat, then held two fingers just in front of the tip of her nose, holding her sword length-wise in front of herself. She said a few incoherent words, ears laying back on her head, then she leaped into the air.

The Yoru no Kasai swung around in a flat arc, and what looked like a trail of fire curled off the sharp edge of the blade. "Yoru no Kasai! Night Fire!" She cried as the fire pulsated and burned through the ranks of the Birds of Paradise that were flying towards her. Most of them were killed immediately, or injured enough that they crash-landed.

Anya slowly dropped back down, the wider sleeves of her hikori and pants billowing as she descended. The hanyou lighted down on the ground, looking quite exhausted. "Anya?" Kagome said. The hanyou either didn't hear her, or ignored her. She stumbled, and Kagome ran forward, catching her before she collapsed fully to the ground. The sword she held slid from her hand and clattered to the ground.

The hanyou seemed to come to, and she lifted her head off the miko's shoulder. She picked up her sword, sliding it back into its sheathe, then looked around at the surroundings. Quite a few of the wolf youkai that had been fighting before had gathered around the two on the ground. They offered comments and thanks, a couple even clapped her on the back heartily. Okay, so maybe wolf youkai weren't THAT bad, but she still preferred the elemental wolves.

Anya walked over to Miroku and Sango with the help of Kagome, although she could stand on her own, the miko insisted on helping her. The hanyou took Kagome's place, leaning up against Kirara with the side of her face pressed into the fire cat's fur. "Where did Inuyasha go?" She asked. "He followed Koga up to the top of the mountain…There was an explosion in the sky at almost the same moment you took out those Birds." Miroku replied.

Anya nodded at the monk, then she started forward. "Wait, where are you going?" Miroku called after her. The hanyou glanced back with a smirk, "To save my brother's butt, where else?" She said, then started ascending the mountain, leaping from ledge to ledge. The moment she reached the top, a bright, yellow colored flash of light greeted her, slicing through a huge bird of paradise.

Inuyasha turned with a triumphant smirk, then picked up two sacred jewel fragments that had been left behind by the Bird. "Now I've got to get Kagome." He said, then pushed past Anya and started down the mountain. "What, so I came up here for nothing?" She said, rolling her eyes and following.

As soon as Anya reached the bottom of the mountain, a heated argument met her ears. Kagome sat with Koga's head in her lap, and Inuyasha looked rather taken aback…And jealous. The hanyou ground her teeth together and stormed forward. "Leave the poor girl alone, Inuyasha!" She said exasperatedly, then grabbed him by the ear. "Ow, ow, ow!" He hissed as his older sister pulled him away from the injured wolf youkai. "You'll have your spotlight more than enough, pup." She said, letting go when she was satisfied with their distance from the others. He rubbed his ear with an irritated expression directed at the fire wolf hanyou.

Anya smirked at him, "Now go, shoo. Make up with the girl." She said, waving him away as Koga left. Inuyasha stomped off, not towards Kagome, but in the opposite direction, sitting down at the edge of a cliff. Anya sighed, then looked up as some of the wolf youkai talked to her, mostly the older ones. They had known his father, the leader of the fire-wolf youkai's pack before he'd been killed. She was glad to hear her father spoken so highly of, although she'd never been too fond of him.

Anya walked over to the others, who had moved closer to where Inuyasha sulked. Miroku was speaking to Kagome, who then walked forward and sat next to Inuyasha. The monk then sauntered over to the fire-wolf hanyou, who had her arms crossed over her chest. "So, I didn't know your weapon was a demon sword." He said. Anya nodded, "It's kina a half-youkai sword though, like me…I really have to coax it before it does anything too special, although it always channels my energy so I can deal harder blows." She said, pulling out the sword and turning it so it flashed in the light of the dying sun.

Anya frowned and re-sheathed the sword as Inuyasha and Kagome started to argue. She picked up a rock and tossed it up a couple of times, then pitched it at the back of the dog hanyou's head like a baseball player. He turned angrily, pinpointing his assailant, then ran at her, directing his angry comments towards his sister. She stood indifferently, then flicked him on the nose. "What was that for?" He yelled.


End file.
